The main thing that I felt after reading act 1 of The Crucible was a heightened gratitude towards our freedom in this time. I personally have done a lot of religious exploration and questioning, and to be condemned for that would change my life entirely. It is hard to say what I would have done if I had lived in Salem in 1692 and I wonder how the characters weigh the choice of practicing witchcraft while possibly risking their lives. However, that brings up the moral standards that these Christians supposedly should have. At at the end of the act, Abigail, Betty, and Tituba rat others out to save themselves and I find that interesting, because that is a question of their character.
Act 2 Analysis:
This act gave me a slightly better opinion of Proctor. The guilt that he feels about his affair with Abigail is very clear. At the end, when he is going to force Mary to reveal his sin in order to save his wife, that is a very moral thing to do, even knowing the possible repercussions. It is so funny how in both acts so many people arrive at one person's house at the same time, in order for the author to really develop the scene. Each character that comes adds a whole dynamic, bringing their opinions and knowledge of certain things the others aren't aware of. This act is really building up the scene we have yet to see in the court to determine what will happen to those accused of witchcraft.
Act 3 Analysis:
This point in the play is where I just want to jump inside the story and whisper to Goody Proctor the knowledge we have so that she won't go against what John has just confessed to the court. It was such an unexpected turn of events when Proctor is accused of witchcraft. At this point I am having a difficult time understanding everything that is happening and what is true and what is not.
Crucible Response:
It took me a very long time to develop any strong emotions towards this play. I think this is because of the different language used, the fast reading, and not feeling a strong connection to anything in the first acts. Since the Crucible is not very long, things happened and characters developed really quickly. I am also not accustomed to this type of reading, so that added another challenge in my understanding and connection. I really love how much historical information I gained about the Puritan society in Salem, Massachusetts. Reading a play from the time period is definitely one of the most fun ways to learn about history from a more personal perspective. I learn a lot better when I am not just reading facts.
Throughout the play, I have really come to respect Goody Proctor. She experiences major emotional happenings yet manages to remain very level-headed. Even when she knows her husband has cheated on her with Abigail, she keeps her steady power and calm demeanor. When Proctor is to be hanged, she knows it can only be up to him what he will do. I can’t imagine being put in her situation or any of the situations in the entire play. It is extremely scary to witness the power that religion has on people and how in some cases it can tear apart a whole community. We can most definitely learn from this time in our history and it is clear that we have grown immensely from this point.
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act 3?
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